Single-end—single connector—fluorescent lamps have become popular due to their compact size, high power efficiency, and extended operational life. These fluorescent lamps, e.g., bulbs, provide the same brightness at up to 80% reduction in power consumption and up to 15 times the operational life of regular incandescent bulbs of similar size.
The compactness of the singled-end connector design of today's fluorescent lamps contributes to the lamp's increasing utilization in household lighting fixtures and portable lighting devices, e.g., ceiling lights, table lamp assemblies, and electric lanterns, etc. A contrast to the conventional dual-end—dual connector—straight fluorescent lamp, the compact single-end design has contributed to the rising popularity of the single-connector fluorescent lamp.
Currently, a conventional lamp retainer of a single-end pin-based lamp generally retains the lamp by having at least one clasp-like member—typically a small, pivotable, pliable piece of plastic or metal integral with a lamp connector socket—grip the single-end connector of the lamp by protrusion over, or into, the lamp connector.
Although these current lamp retainer designs provide a convenient means of insertion, retention, and removal of a lamp having a single-end pin-based connector, the small flexible clasp utilized in current lamp retainers can be easily moved by minor, unintentional movements of larger and heavier lamps—thus making the lamp prone to unintentional dislocation from the lamp retainer. The unintentional dislocation of the lamp often causes the lamp to prematurely malfunction, or break, long before its intended operational life expectancy.
When a current lamp retainer is implemented with a portable illuminating device, e.g., lantern, table lamp assembly, etc., the retainer is often not able to secure the lamp against removal due to severe movement. Although a more robust design incorporating a shock absorbing plug and an elongate light-transmitting protective shield surrounding the lamp are available, such a design lacks applicability for lamps having a different length, e.g., a lamp having a standard connector size, but with a higher power and brightness, and correspondingly, requiring a longer protective shield.
The present invention is provided to solve these and other problems and to improve upon existing portable lamps and lamp retainers.